In-line roller skate

ABSTRACT

In-line roller skate including a soft, pliable, and comfortable shoe body having structural foot support components positioned in selected strategic areas such as the ball, heel, and ankle. In one embodiment, the structural components are made of semirigid plastic that may be heat-moldable to conform to the user&#39;s foot. The shoe sole may also include heat-moldable materials so it can be anatomically formed to the foot. The shoe is mounted on a frame that supports a plurality of in-line wheels. At least a portion of the flexible shoe portion that is adjacent the sole is exposed, and free from blockage by the support structure, thereby promoting the circulation of air through the breathable shoe portion.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/426,177, filed Apr. 28, 2003, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/261,224, filed Sep. 30, 2002, whichis a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/068,595, filedFeb. 6, 2002, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.09/877,544, filed Jun. 8, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,818), which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 09/587,374, filed Jun. 1, 2000 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,254,110), which is a continuation of application Ser.No. 09/379,461, filed Aug. 23, 1999 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,030), whichis a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/209,321, filed Dec. 9, 1998(now U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,459), which is a continuation of applicationSer. No. 08/811,134, filed Mar. 3, 1997 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,796),which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/484,467 filed Jun. 7,1995 (abandoned), which is a continuation of application Ser. No.08/094,576, filed Jul. 19, 1993, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.5,437,466.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to in-line roller skateshaving an upper shoe portion for securely holding the skater's footconnected by an appropriate fastening means to a lower frame portionthat may include an in-line wheel brake or speed control system andmeans for quickly and easily replacing worn wheels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In-line roller skates generally include a plurality of wheels,mounted in-line, one behind the other, rotatable in a common,longitudinally extending, plane of rotation. The wheels are typicallycarried and supported by a lower frame portion attached to an in-lineroller skate shoe or boot. A conventional in-line roller skate alsoincludes an upper shoe (or boot) portion that is securely attached tothe lower frame portion. The upper shoe portion provides the support forthe skater's foot, while the lower frame portion provides the rigidsubstructure or undercarriage for the in-line roller skate wheels.

[0004] In-line roller skates are very maneuverable and are capable ofhigher speeds than those customarily associated with conventional pairedwheel roller skates. In-line roller skating is generally considered torequire higher levels of skill, coordination, and strength thanconventional paired wheel roller skating because of the narrow, lateralsupport base associated with in-line roller skates. Specifically, whilebalancing in the forward and rear direction is relatively easy for eveninexperienced skaters, balancing in the sideward or lateral direction isdifficult because of the narrow support base and is heavily dependentupon the skater's balancing and coordination skills. Proper ankle andfoot supports within the upper shoe portion of the in-line roller skateaid in lateral balancing.

[0005] To obtain the optimum performance from an in-line roller skate,it is important that the in-line roller skate be maintained in asubstantially vertical position. The upper shoe portion of the in-lineroller skate serves competing purposes of providing support and comfort;comfort in a shoe not usually being associated with a high degree ofsupport. In other words, the incorporation of rigid support structuresin the upper shoe portion of the in-line roller skate tends to addstiffness and bulk and, considering the warm weather environmentsconducive to in-line roller skating, tends to make the skates heavy,hot, and uncomfortable. Because serious ankle and other injuries canresult if comfort is favored over support, proper support in an in-lineroller skate has been the dominant design criteria in the past.

[0006] In prior designs, the conventional upper shoe portion of thein-line roller skate is usually formed of rigid, nonbreathable, plasticmaterials having an inner liner. The plastic material generally formsthe outer structure of the upper shoe portion, thereby requiring that asoft inner liner of sponge rubber or other like material be included toprovide a modicum of comfort to the user. Since such soft materialscombined with the rigid plastic shell are good insulators and do notreadily transmit heat or air away from the user's foot, the result is ahot upper shoe portion.

[0007] To provide lateral stability, conventional alpine ski bootdesigns have readily been adapted to in-line roller skates. These bootsprovide support and durability characteristics necessary for in-lineroller skates. U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,537 (“the '537 Patent”) and U.S. Pat.No. 5,171,033 (“the '033 Patent”) are both exemplary examples of rigid,injection-molded boots adapted to winter sports, such as ice skating andalpine skiing, which have been modified for in-line roller skatingapplications. These patents disclose an upper boot portion thatcomprises a hard plastic outer shell with a soft inner liner. While thistype of boot design is well suited for cold weather sports, the uppershoe portion tends to be hot and uncomfortable when used in warm weathersports such as in-line roller skating. The '033 Patent suggests that byincluding “primarily unobstructed ventilation ports” in the rigidsynthetic outer shell of the upper shoe portion, air can circulatearound the skater's foot, thereby eliminating some of the heatassociated with the hard plastic outer shell. While this patent seeks toaddress the issue of comfort, the disclosed upper shoe portion is stillconfigured of two parts, including a hard plastic outer shell and a softinner liner, which can be uncomfortable in warm weather conditions,compared to conventional walking and/or running shoes, due to excessiveheat buildup. The result is that the skater's feet are often hot, damp,and uncomfortable.

[0008] Another problem with the adoption of injection-molded ski-typeboots to in-line roller skating is that, while providing excellentlateral stiffness and rigidity for lateral ankle support, these bootsalso create unnecessary and unwanted forward/rearward stiffness andrigidity. Ski-type boots detract from the performance characteristics ofthe skate because they limit the range of motion of the skater's legsand feet and, therefore, the ability of the skater to utilize the fullextent of his or her strength and agility.

[0009] Further, it is desirable for an in-line roller skate upper shoeportion to be lightweight. Boots that are well suited to skiingapplications wherein it is not necessary to raise and lower the bootwith every movement of the foot (because the skier relies on gravity toprovide the forward or downward motion) prove to be heavy and bulky whenadapted to in-line roller skating. When skating on a flat surface, thein-line roller skater must lift the boot with every stride to provide aforward impetus, and a heavy upper shoe portion causes fatigue andreduces skating enjoyment.

[0010] Alternative modes of providing both comfort and adequate supportfor in-line roller skating have been suggested. Specifically, U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,963,252, 4,418,929, and No. 5,069,462 show roller skate framesthat include a platform adapted to allow the skater to wear aconventional street shoe that is inserted into a series of braces andsupports. These skates offer alternative shoe and frame designs to therigid plastic outer shell and inner liner of the conventional in-lineroller skate. However, significant problems exist with such designs inthat the adjustable braces and supports of these designs, while neededto accommodate numerous shoe sizes and shapes, are bulky anduncomfortable. Additionally, there is a limited range of shoe types thatthe skates will accommodate, and thus, there is the additionalrequirement that the skater have the proper shoe type to properlyutilize the skate.

[0011] Because speed beyond that of conventional skating is associatedwith in-line roller skating, there is a further need for speed controlsystems on in-line roller skates. Prior solutions to speed controlinclude the placement of bumpers or friction pads on the front or rearof at least one of the skates, allowing the skater to tip or lift his orher foot, either forward or rearward, to bring the bumper into contactwith the skating surface. Accordingly, the skater drags the bumper alonguntil he or she has slowed to a desired speed. While this system hasproven satisfactory for paired wheel roller skates using pairs of wheelsin a side-by-side configuration as the support base, the narrow lateralsupport base of in-line roller skates makes this breaking maneuverdifficult. Accordingly, speed control on in-line roller skates employingthis type of drag brake requires a high level of skill and coordinationto be performed properly. Higher speeds make it difficult for the skaterto raise or remove the weight from one foot to properly position thebumper for contact with the skating surface.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,736 shows a conventional brake adapted foruse in in-line roller skating. A pad is retained in a brake housing, thehousing being securely fastened to the lower frame portion of thein-line roller skate. Other patents, specifically U.S. Pat. No.5,052,701 and No. 5,028,058, disclose similar braking pads havingdifferent configurations mounted on the rear of in-line roller skates.However, in all of these designs, it is necessary for the skater tomaneuver or reposition at least one of his or her feet to properly applythe brake.

[0013] Some alternative braking methods have been proposed that applyfriction plates or pads to the wheels of the in-line roller skate. U.S.Pat. No. 5,171,032 suggests a method of braking by horizontally forcingone or more plates against the in-line roller skate wheel(s). The platesare actuated by a hand control 80, causing brake pads 40 to movesubstantially horizontally toward in-line roller skate wheel(s) 98.

[0014] Braking apparatus used on in-line roller skates must beconfigured to minimize possible damage to the braking system caused bythe user falling or bringing the skate into contact with fixed objects.The design must further avoid debris from becoming jammed in the brake,causing the brake to fail to function and thereby failing to control theskater's speed. More importantly, the brake must be designed to avoidinadvertently jamming against the wheel(s) during skating. It is thusimportant to position the braking apparatus within the lower frameportion of the in-line roller skate to protect the moving parts of thebrake from debris or from being damaged due to impacts.

[0015] Another problem with prior art designs for in-line skatesinvolves the need to be able to quickly and easily replace wheels asthey become worn. Most current systems require major disassembly ofeither the lower frame portion or the wheel and mounting axle structurein order to replace a wheel. In this regard, there is a long-felt needfor a method of readily replacing or interchanging in-line rollerwheels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] In accordance with the present invention, an in-line roller skateis disclosed having a comfortable and soft, pliable, breathable shoeportion including a base and an ankle support cuff. The shoe portion mayincorporate strategically-placed rigid and semirigid structures toprovide needed support for the skater's foot. The structures maycomprise a heel counter integral with the soft, pliable, breathable shoeportion or be attached to the base portion for connection to the soft,upper portion of the shoe. Further included in the preferred embodimentof the invention is an ankle support cuff hingedly attached to theinternal or external heel counter. Arch, heel, and ball supports for thefoot may also be provided within the shoe portion, specifically the baseportion, to improve the support and comfort of the in-line roller skate.

[0017] In an embodiment of the invention, an inline roller skateincludes a frame rotatably supporting the longitudinally aligned wheels,a substantially rigid base including a sole portion and support memberssuch as a heel cup, an ankle support cup and/or a toe cup, that extendupwardly from the sole portion, a breathable shoe upper that is attachedat a lower edge to the sole portion of the base, and wherein at leastsome of the lower edge of the shoe portion is not blocked by the footsupport members such that air circulation through the lower edge of theshoe portion is promoted.

[0018] The ankle support cuff is adjustably attached to the heel counterto provide both lateral and longitudinal adjustment of the ankle supportcuff with respect to the base portion. The base portion may be providedwith means for attachment to a lower frame portion, generally supportinga plurality of wheels rotatable in a common plane of rotation. Theattachment means of the base to the lower frame portion may allow bothlateral and longitudinal movement of the upper shoe portion with respectto the lower frame portion. Alternatively the base and lower frameportion may be a single molded unit.

[0019] The present invention may also include a speed control, includinga pressure plate above a minimum of one, but preferably two, of thein-line roller wheels. The pressure plate is biased away from thein-line roller wheels in a substantially vertical direction. Uponactuation of the speed control, the pressure plate is forcedsubstantially downward until it contacts at least one in-line rollerwheel. Actuation of the speed control can be accomplished using either alever or, alternatively, by a cable actuating means.

[0020] Further included in the frame portion of the present inventionare means for quickly releasing and replacing the in-line wheels, suchas when worn or damaged.

[0021] The present invention departs from the teachings of the prior artby forming a substantial part of the upper shoe portion out of soft,pliable, breathable materials capable of transmitting air and heatdirectly therethrough, while also properly supporting the user's foot.The support is provided in a few critical areas, such as the ankle andheel of the user's foot, using rigid materials. Semirigid materials mayalso be used in some support portions. In particular, the upper shoeportion of the present invention comprises a soft, pliable, breathableshoe material in combination with a rigid or semirigid base portion andankle support cuff. As a result, the body of the upper shoe portion iscomfortable for a skater to wear, while the base portion and anklesupport cuff of the upper shoe portion provide the support needed toallow a skater to easily maintain the in-line roller skate wheelsoriented vertically on their roller surfaces while skating.

[0022] The term “rigid” with respect to the present invention means aplastic material highly resistant to bending or flexing, while“semirigid” means that the material, while capable of resisting asubstantial deforming force, is also able to bend or be temporarilydeformed by a force somewhat greater than the normal force encounteredin use. “Heat moldable” refers to both rigid and semirigid plasticmaterials that become reasonably pliable and formable at a highertemperature than would customarily be associated with in-line rollerskating.

[0023] In general, a combination of heat moldable “rigid” and“semirigid” plastic materials is used in combination with soft, pliable,breathable materials, in an in-line roller skate, to provide greatercomfort, without foregoing the support that has previously been achievedusing “rigid” materials. It will be understood that the terms “rigid”and “semirigid” may thus refer not only to the type or hardness ofmaterial used in the in-line roller skate, but also to the thickness ofthe material. Similarly, the terms “non-rigid,” “soft,” and “pliable”describe materials such as leather, cloth, or mesh fabrics of variousdensities that have a certain flexibility and “give” to them, ascompared to a rigid or semirigid material, and thus are more comfortablefor a skater when placed adjacent a skater's foot. The term “breathable”refers to a material through which air can readily pass and isdistinguished from molded plastic materials of either the rigid orsemirigid type that are substantially impervious to air transmission orwhich simply provide ventilation ports for air circulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages ofthis invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomebetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0025]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the soft, pliable, breathable shoe portion andsemirigid ankle support cuff attached to the lower frame portion of thepresent invention;

[0026]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the footbedportion of the present invention, illustrating the lip supports and theheel counter;

[0027]FIG. 2B is a perspective view of another embodiment of the footbedportion of the present invention, illustrating a modified toe portion;

[0028]FIG. 3A is a sectional side view of the footbed portion of FIG. 2Aof the present invention, including the heel counter, raised supportlips, and the frame mounting means;

[0029]FIG. 3B is a sectional side view of the footbed portion of FIG. 3Aof the present invention, including the heel counter, toe portion, andframe mounting means;

[0030]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the present invention,illustrating the ankle support cuff, the ankle support cuff cantingmeans in section, and alternate longitudinal canting positions of theankle support cuff;

[0031]FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the present invention,illustrating the ankle support cuff and ankle support cuff adjustmentmeans in section, and alternative lateral canting positions of the anklesupport cuff;

[0032]FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the ankle support cuffadjustment means;

[0033]FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the ankle support cuffadjustment means;

[0034]FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the lower frameportion of the present invention, including a speed control means;

[0035]FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic partial side sectional viewsillustrating a speed control means made in accordance with the presentinvention and showing the speed control means in its nonbraking andbraking modes, respectively;

[0036]FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrammatic partial side sectional views of asecond embodiment of the speed control means of the present invention,illustrating a cable actuating means for the speed control;

[0037]FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the lower frame portionof one embodiment of the present invention;

[0038]FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an alternativeembodiment of the speed control means of the present invention, whereinbraking is applied to three of the four in-line roller wheels of thein-line roller skate;

[0039]FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of still anotheralternate embodiment of the speed control means of the presentinvention, wherein braking is applied to all of the in-line rollerwheels of an in-line roller skate;

[0040]FIG. 16A is a front perspective view of one embodiment of thepresent invention, illustrating the soft, pliable, breathable shoeportion, an external lace cover, and the semirigid ankle support cuffand securing strap attached to a lower frame portion;

[0041]FIG. 16B is a partial perspective view of the present inventionillustrating an alternative embodiment having the footbed portion andlower frame portion combined as a single injection-molded unit; and

[0042]FIG. 17 is a sectional rear view of the upper shoe portion,showing the heel counter and ankle support cuff.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, an in-line roller skate 21 made according tothe present invention is disclosed. The in-line roller skate 21 includesa soft, pliable, breathable shoe portion 22, which is preferably made ofbreathable materials of the type commonly used in running shoes. Leatheror leather-like man-made materials may be used, as may cloth fabrics andmesh fabric materials. Since the principal physical support for theskater's foot in the present invention is provided by strategicallypositioned support members, including an exterior ankle support cuff 23and a base portion 39 to be described hereafter, the materials used toconstruct the shoe portion 22 are chosen for comfort, breathability, andheat transmissibility to cool the skater's foot. For purposes ofdescribing the present invention, the shoe portion 22, the base portion39, and the ankle support cuff 23 together form what is referred to asthe entire upper shoe portion.

[0044] The in-line roller skate 21 of the present invention includes abase portion 39, a heel counter 41, a soft, pliable, breathable shoeportion 22, which in one embodiment includes a rigid or semirigid toeportion 24 and an ankle support cuff 23 having a conventional securingstrap 26. While the preferred embodiments will be discussed in detailbelow, it is understood that the shoe portion 22 may integrally includeboth the toe portion 24 and the heel counter 41. The heel counter 41and/or the toe portion 24 may be laminated externally of the shoeportion 22 or be integrally contained within the shoe portion 22.Alternatively, the heel counter 41 and/or the toe portion 24 may both bean integral part of the base portion 39 or one or the other may beattached to the base portion 39 while the other is attached to the shoeportion 22. The material comprising the heel counter 41 and the toeportion 24 may be rigid or semirigid materials, depending on theintended use of the in-line roller skate 21 and the desired degree ofsupport.

[0045] In-line roller skate 21 further includes an external anklesupport cuff 23 having a conventional securing strap 26. The anklesupport cuff 23 is shown hingedly mounted on the heel counter 41.Although it will be understood that the ankle support cuff 23, which ismade of either rigid or semirigid material, can likewise be an integralpart of the soft, pliable, breathable shoe portion 22, the preferredembodiment of the present invention mounts the ankle support cuff 23internally and hingedly to the heel counter 41. The ankle support cuff23 can, alternatively, be externally mounted to the heel counter 41. Itwill also be understood that heel counter 41 can itself be an integralpart of the soft boot or an external counter bonded to the soft boot.The ankle support cuff 23 can include both longitudinal canting means 25and lateral canting means 27, which will be described in detailhereafter.

[0046]FIG. 1 discloses an external lace cover 29, which may beintegrally connected to the soft, pliable, breathable shoe portion 22 atits base 26 so that the lace cover can be pivoted forwardly to alloweasy access to the shoe laces and the interior of the shoe. Referringalso to FIG. 16A, conventional shoe laces 28 may be provided inward ofthe lace cover 29. Internal tongue 29 a is provided to prevent the laces28 from bearing directly on the skater's foot.

[0047] Also illustrated in FIG. 1 is a lower frame portion 31 which istypically formed of injection-molded plastic or metal and a speedcontrol 33, which will be described in detail hereafter. The lower frameportion 31 may alternatively be made of fiberglass with an epoxy resinor graphite with an epoxy resin. A plurality of in-line roller wheels 35is mounted on axle means 36 that will also be described in detailhereafter. The in-line roller wheels 35 are mounted for rotation in acommon longitudinal plane. Axle means 36 are shown fitted in upwardlyextending notches 37 in lower frame portion 31 in a manner such thatwheels 35 can be easily replaced or interchanged when worn. While thenotches 37 are shown for purposes of describing the present invention,it will be understood that a variety of methods of mounting the in-lineroller wheels 35 can be used, including mounting methods that allowvariation in the vertical positioning of the axes of rotation of thein-line roller wheels 35.

[0048]FIGS. 2A and 3A illustrate the base portion 39 made in accordancewith the present invention. The base portion 39 can be a relativelysimple flat sole or a relatively complex contoured sole containingsupports and attachment means. For purposes of the present description,the base portion 39 will be described in its more complex form, it beingunderstood that not all of the supports or attachments describedhereafter need be included in every embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIGS. 2A and 3A, the base portion 39 includes a soleportion 40, an integrally connected heel counter 41 for cupping the backof the skater's heel, and raised support lip 43 on the sides of the baseportion 39 in the area of the ball of the skater's foot. In a preferredembodiment, the sole portion 40 has an upper surface and a lowersurface. The upper portion of the sole portion 40 may be anatomicallyfitted to the user's foot by molding or other known techniques asdescribed hereafter, to evenly distribute pressure along the bottom ofthe foot. The heel counter 41, and the raised support lips 43 providesupport to aid the skater in maintaining the in-line roller skate in asubstantially vertical position. The lower portion of the sole portion40 provides an interface for mounting the upper shoe portion onto thelower frame portion where the upper shoe portion and the lower frameportion are separate units. Because in this invention much of the uppershoe portion is formed of soft, pliable, breathable material, thefootbed portion, and other supports, including primarily the anklesupport cuff 23, provide substantially all of the needed support andstability for the skater's foot.

[0049] The sole portion 40 of the base portion 39 may include an archsupport portion 45, a heel support 47, and a ball support 49. Thesupports 45, 47, and 49 contour the base portion 39 to the user's footand are preferably made of a heat-moldable plastic integrally mounted inthe sole portion 40 of the footbed portion 39. The use of heat-moldableplastic enables a skater to heat the moldable plastic supports 45, 47,and 49 by conventional means, such as a hair dryer, to a temperaturesufficient to cause them to become pliable. The footbed portion 39 canthen be anatomically fitted to the skater's foot by placing the foottherein and allowing the heat moldable plastic to cool and harden in ashape conforming to the skater's foot. The plastic supports 45, 47, and49 may be included as desired or required, depending on skate designcriteria and the form of the mounting means contained within the baseportion 39.

[0050] The heel counter 41 and the raised support lips 43 may also befabricated from heat moldable plastics. As with the supports 45, 47, and49, the heel counter 41 and the raised support lip 43 can beanatomically fitted to the user's foot using a conventional hot air heatsource. The base portion 39 of the present invention can thus be formedto fit the user's foot, thereby minimizing unwanted movement of theskater's foot within the upper shoe portion while simultaneouslyimproving the overall comfort of the upper shoe portion.

[0051] While FIGS. 2A and 3A show the heel counter 41 as an integralpart of the base portion 39, other embodiments of the present inventionmay integrally mount the heel counter 41 in the soft shoe portion 22,while the base portion 39 would primarily comprise sole portion 40.Alternatively, the base portion 39 could contain an additional heelcounter portion such that the shoe portion 22 and the integral heelcounter 41 are laminated thereto in a known fashion.

[0052] Again referring to FIGS. 2A and 3A, the sole portion 40 of baseportion 39 is shown to include a pair of front mounting means 51 a andat least one identical rear mounting means 51 b. Mounting means 51 a and51 b are adapted to allow the upper shoe portion to be mounted to thelower frame portion 31 in a manner such that the upper shoe portion maybe moved both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the lowerframe 31, as desired by the user. In particular, mounting means 51 a and51 b each include a plate 53 having a threaded opening 54 a formedtherein and adapted to receive a complementary threaded fastener, suchas 54 b (FIG. 3A), which is sized to extend upwardly through a portionof the lower frame portion 31. Each plate 53 is mounted in an oversizecavity 54 c formed in the sole portion 40 such that the plate 53 canmove both laterally and longitudinally within the cavity 54 c when thefastener 54 b is loosened in the threaded opening 54 a. When the skateradjusts the position of the upper shoe portion to its desired locationwith respect to the lower frame portion 31, the fasteners 54 b aretightened to hold the upper shoe portion in position. While it ispreferred that the upper shoe portion be both laterally andlongitudinally adjustable with respect to the lower frame portion 31, itwill be understood that the base portion 39 can be permanently fastenedto the lower frame portion 31 using conventional fastening means, suchas rivets. In addition, the base portion 39 and the lower frame portion31 can be integrally combined in a single injection-molded unit such asshown in FIG. 16B. This embodiment would not allow adjustment of theupper shoe portion with respect to the lower frame portion 31, but wouldprovide substantial desired rigidity and strength between the upper shoeportion and the lower frame portion 31.

[0053] Referring to FIGS. 2B and 3B, an alternate form of base portion39 a of the present invention is disclosed, without the raised supportlips 43, but including a toe portion 24. In this embodiment, the soft,pliable, breathable shoe portion 22 may be laminated to the base portion39 as such that toe portion 24 provides additional laminating surfaceadding support and strength to the shoe portion 22. In addition, the toeportion 24 can be extended rearward sufficiently to provide the earlierdescribed support function of lips 43. The durable, semirigid toeportion 24 further prevents the soft pliable material comprising theshoe portion 22 from damage caused by scuffing the toe, or by the toe ofthe in-line roller skate 21 bumping or scraping the road surface orother objects.

[0054]FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an ankle support cuff 23 made accordingto the present invention. The ankle support cuff 23 is secured to theheel counter 41 through lateral support apertures 55 and longitudinalsupport aperture 56 (shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) in a manner to bedescribed hereafter. In one embodiment, the ankle support cuff 23 can berigidly fixed to the heel counter 41, allowing very limited flex of theankle support cuff 23 with respect to the footbed portion 39 and thelower frame portion 31. In this mode, the in-line roller skate becomes asubstantially rigid unit with no longitudinal or lateral adjustment andflexibility is limited to that produced by the flex of the materialscomprising the ankle support cuff 23, the heel counter 41, and baseportion 39. As a means of controlling flexibility, the material used inthe fabrication of the ankle support cuff 23 can be selected for itscharacteristic flexibility, which may range from very rigid to apliable, but semirigid material.

[0055] In an alternative embodiment, ankle support cuff 23 can behingedly attached to the heel counter 41 through lateral supportapertures 55, thus allowing forward and rearward pivotal movement of theankle support cuff 23. As discussed earlier, the heel counter 41 caneither be an integral part of the base portion 39 or of the shoe portion22. Hinging of the cuff allows the skater to flex his ankle forward andrearward with ease, while providing considerable rigidity in the lateraldirection. In still another embodiment of the present invention, theankle support cuff 23 is adjustable both longitudinally (FIG. 4) andlaterally (FIG. 5), as described more fully hereafter.

[0056] The ankle support cuff 23, in combination with the base portion39 and the heel counter 41, support the skater's ankle and foot andassist the skater in maintaining a substantially upright ankle position.The ankle support cuff 23 is preferably made of a semirigid plastic andmay be made of a heat moldable plastic similar to the heat moldableplastics described above with respect to the footbed supports 45, 47,and 49. As with the heat moldable plastics in the base portion 39, theheat moldable plastic ankle support cuff 23 can also be heated with hotair and formed for a better fit.

[0057] In-line roller skating requires substantial shoe support incombination with the strength, coordination, and agility of the skaterto maintain the in-line roller skate in a near vertical position. Thevarious support components of the present invention describedheretofore, including the ankle support cuff 23, the heel counter 41,and the base portion 39, provide the needed support, thus allowing soft,pliable, breathable shoe portion 22 to be made of material such asleather, mesh fabric, or the like, to enhance the comfort of the in-lineroller skate. It will be understood that any of the known materialscommonly used in running shoes to provide comfort and to dissipate heatby allowing air circulation about the user's foot can be used in thepresent invention to accomplish the goal of providing a comfortable,cool, in-line roller skate whose principal foot support comes fromstrategically placed support structures rather than from a rigid moldedboot.

[0058] The ankle support cuff 23 of the present invention may include acanting system for lateral and longitudinal tilt adjustments. Ingeneral, the preferred embodiment of the canting system comprises twomovable parts, each respectively associated with either the anklesupport cuff 23 or the heel counter 41 and capable of being securelylocked together. As will be described hereafter, a skater wishing totilt the ankle support cuff longitudinally or laterally loosens thelongitudinal canting means 25 or the lateral canting means 27 and movesthe two parts with respect to one another to position the ankle supportcuff 23 according to the skater's preference. It will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art that the lateral canting means 27can be placed on either the inside or the outside of the anklesupporting cuff 23. Phantom views in FIG. 4 show the support cuff 23adjusted to various longitudinally canted positions, while in FIG. 5,the phantom views show the ankle support cuff 23 adjusted to variouslaterally canted positions as desired by the skater.

[0059] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 16A, the soft, pliable,breathable shoe portion 22 that substantially surrounds the skater'sfoot and extends above the ankle support cuff 23. The extension of theshoe portion 22 above the ankle support cuff 23 prevents the upperportion of the semirigid ankle support cuff 23 from uncomfortablybinding against the skater's ankle or calf. In a similar fashion, theinternal tongue 29 a also extends above the ankle support cuff 23 toprevent the ankle support cuff 23 from binding against the skater's shinwhen substantial longitudinal forward force is applied against the anklesupport cuff 23 and securing strap 26.

[0060] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the longitudinal and lateralcanting mechanisms of the present invention are disclosed in detail. Ina preferred embodiment, the canting mechanism includes a cap nut 101mounted to or within the heel counter 41 such that its internallythreaded barrel 103 extends into a slot 117 in the heel counter 41. Theouter surface of the heel counter 41 in the region adjacent the slot 117includes a plurality of surface grooves 109 arranged on opposite sidesof the slot, so that the grooves on one side of the slot are angledrelative to those on the opposite side in a chevron-like configuration.The ankle support cuff 23 includes an opening 104 outwardly adjacent theinternally threaded barrel 103 into which is inserted a plug 111 havingsurface grooves 113 sized and configured to engage the surface grooves109. The plug 111 includes a central opening 112 into which is inserteda cap screw 114 threaded to engage the internally threaded barrel 103 ofthe cap nut 101. It will be understood that tightening of the cap screw114 relative to the cap nut 101 causes the cooperating grooves 109 and113 on the heel counter 41 and the plug 111, respectively, to engageeach other, to fix the position of the ankle support cuff 23 withrespect to the base portion 39. When the cap screw 114 is loosened, thegrooves 109 and 113 can be disengaged and the cap nut 101 can be movedwithin the slot 117 to allow the ankle support cuff 23 to be cantedrelative to the base portion 39.

[0061] Referring now to FIG. 8, one embodiment of the lower frameportion 31 of the present invention is disclosed. The lower frameportion 31 comprises a frame rail 57 b, which preferably includesnotches 37 (shown in FIG. 1) in which the axle means 36 are held toallow in-line wheels 35 to be easily interchanged or replaced. While thenotches 37 are shown for purposes of describing the present invention,it will be understood that a variety of methods for mounting the in-linewheels 35 can be used, including mounting methods that allow verticaladjustments of the axis of rotation of the plurality of in-line wheels35. The in-line wheels 35 are mounted to be rotatable in a commonlongitudinal plane of rotation. The lower frame portion 31 furtherincludes a brake or speed control 33 having an actuating lever 59. Inuse, a skater reaches down and pulls upward on the actuating lever 59,forcing contoured speed control plate 61 to bear against the in-lineroller wheels 35. Alternatively, those skilled in the art will recognizethat the actuating lever 59 may be arranged and configured such that, inuse, speed control plate 61 bears against the in-line roller wheels 35by pushing down on actuating lever 59. This mechanism is discussed infurther detail hereafter. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the contoured speed control plate 61 contacts a minimum oftwo wheels, typically the two rearmost wheels on the in-line rollerskate. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that thecontoured speed control plate 61 may contact from as few as one in-lineroller wheel 35 to as many as all of the in-line wheels 35 mounted onthe lower frame portion 31.

[0062]FIGS. 9 and 10 show the speed control means 33 of FIG. 8 inlongitudinal cross section in its unactuated and actuated or brakingpositions respectively. The contoured speed control plate 61 is movableon a vertical shaft 62 in a substantially vertical direction, toward andaway from the in-line roller wheels 35. A biasing spring 63 acts to biasthe contoured speed control plate 61 away from the in-line roller wheels35. When a force overriding the biasing spring 63 is applied to theactuating lever 59, the contoured speed control plate 61 moves in adownward direction to contact the in-line wheels 35. Contact between thespeed control plate 61 and the in-line wheels 35 creates frictionsufficient to impose a drag on the in-line roller wheels 35, thusslowing or stopping the rotation of the wheels thereby controlling thespeed of the skater. Varying the force applied to the actuating lever 59varies the drag on the in-line roller wheels 35. It will be understoodthat application of a selected force will slow but not necessarily stopthe in-line roller wheels 35 so that the skater's speed can becontrolled, such as when descending a grade. The contoured speed controlplate 61 can be made of any suitable material, including plastic or ametal such as aluminum.

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 13, there is shown an exploded view of thelower frame portion 31 of the present invention, including the speedcontrol 33. The contoured speed control plate 61 is shown positionedbetween an upper mounting bracket 65 and a lower mounting bracket 67.The mounting brackets 65 and 67 are securely attached between framerails 57 a and 57 b using appropriate fastening means, such as machinescrews 69. The contoured speed control plate 61 is movable in asubstantially vertical direction within the mounting brackets 65 and 67,from an uppermost position, such as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, to alowermost position wherein the contoured speed control plate 61 contactsthe in-line roller wheels 35, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12.

[0064] The actuating lever 59 is mounted to pivot about a fulcrum pin73, which is in turn mounted between the frame rails 57 a and 57 b bymeans of a fastener 69, and is attached at its inner end to a pressureplate 71. Accordingly, when the actuating lever 59 is raised, pressureis applied to the pressure plate 71 in a downward direction. Thepressure plate 71, being directly connected to the contoured speedcontrol plate 61, causes the contoured speed control plate 61 to move ina downward direction toward the lower mounting bracket 67. This downwardmovement results in contact of the contoured speed control plate 61 withthe in-line roller wheels 35. The downward motion of the contoured speedcontrol plate 61 is limited first, and preferably, by its contact withthe in-line roller wheels 35. However, if the contoured speed controlplate 61 continued to move in a downward direction, the biasing spring63 would eventually become fully collapsed before the pressure plate 71contacts the upper mounting bracket 65, and before a lower portion 66 ofthe contoured speed control plate 61 contacts the lower mounting bracket67.

[0065]FIGS. 11 and 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention,wherein the actuating lever 59 is replaced with a cable 75. The biasingspring 63 again biases the contoured speed control plate 61 away fromin-line roller wheels 35. When the cable 75 is pulled in an upwardlydirection, a cable pressure housing 77 applies a downward force againstthe pressure plate 71, forcing the contoured speed control plate 61 tomove in a downward direction toward the in-line roller wheels 35. Inthis embodiment of the present invention, the cable 75 uses as itsanchoring member, the lower mounting bracket 67. Shortening of the cable75 causes the distance between the pressure plate 71 and the lowermounting plate 67 to be reduced, thereby forcing the contoured speedcontrol plate 61 downwardly. As with the earlier described embodiment ofFIGS. 9 and 10, the cable 75 can apply force to the in-line rollerwheels 35 as needed to control the speed of or bring the in-line wheels35 to a stop. It will be understood that the cable 75 can run upwardlyto the area of the skater's knee or belt where it can be easily grasped,or held in the skater's hands so that the skater can continuously applyspeed control pressure as needed. A conventional handgrip can beattached to the cable to allow it to be more easily held and pressureapplied by the skater. Alternatively, a cable or similar actuating meanscould be attached to the actuating lever 59 (in FIGS. 8-10), so that theskater could pull up on the cable to cause the end of actuating lever 59to move upwardly, forcing the contoured speed control plate 61 againstthe in-line roller wheels 35.

[0066]FIG. 13 shows a conventional system for mounting the in-linewheels 35 within the frame rails 57 a and 57 b. In particular, anin-line roller wheel 35 is mounted on a bearing hub 35 a having acentral opening. The axle 36, which comprises an internally threaded capnut 36 a and a cooperating threaded cap screw 36 b, extends through theframe rails 57 a and 57 b, spacer washers 36 c and 36 d on oppositesides of the in-line roller wheel 35, and through the opening in thebearing hub 35 a. The internally threaded cap nut 36 a and thecooperatingly threaded screw 36 b are sized such that when the screw isfully threaded into the nut, an axle of uniform diameter is provided onwhich the in-line roller wheel 35 can rotate. The caps of the screw andnut grip the outer surfaces of the frame rails adjacent frame notches37.

[0067] Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 15, the contour speed control plate61 of the present invention is shown shaped to apply drag to more thantwo of the in-line roller wheels 35. FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of acontoured speed control plate 61 a as applied to three in-line rollerwheels 35, and FIG. 15 shows an embodiment wherein the contour speedcontrol plate 61 is applied to four in-line roller wheels 35.Accordingly, a skater using the actuating lever 59 can apply force tothe in-line roller wheels 35 in the manner heretofore described asneeded to control the speed or stop the in-line roller wheels 35.Alternatively, a cable such as 75 can be used to apply drag force to thecontoured speed control plates 61 a or 61 b. It will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art that, with appropriate modification of themounting structure, the contoured speed control plate 61 can be appliedto as many wheels as desired for adequate speed control. While notillustrated, it is also possible and considered to be within the scopeof this invention, using either the actuating lever, or the cable of thepresent invention to have more than one speed control 33 applyingdownward pressure to a single contour speed control plate 61 or multiplecontour speed control plates in more than one position along the framerails 57 a and 57 b.

[0068] The preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein thecontoured speed control plate 61 is housed substantially above thein-line roller wheels 35 and securely maintained between the frame rails57 a and 57 b, has advantages over the prior art in that the speedcontrol 33 is substantially removed from debris including rocks, dirt,grass, etc., which could become entangled in a speed control positionedlower on the frame rails 57 a and 57 b. In addition, by maintaining thespeed control 33 substantially between the frame rails 57 a and 57 b,the present invention protects the components of the speed control fromdamage due to the lower frame portion 31 contacting rigid objects orbeing carelessly handled.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 16A, there is shown a perspective view of anembodiment of the present invention with the soft, pliable, breathableshoe portion 22 laminated in place on the base portion 39 a as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 2B and 3B.

[0070] As discussed heretofore, FIG. 16B discloses the base portion 39having a frame portion 31 molded integrally therewith. A soft upper shoeportion may be laminated therein in a known fashion, such as by applyingglue along the base and lower sides of the shoe in the area of the heeland toe supports and then curing.

[0071] While there are manufacturing cost advantages in having the uppershoe portion separable from the lower frame portion 31, it is alsodesirable in some skate designs for the base portion 39 to be bothlaterally and longitudinally adjustable with respect to the lower frameportion. It is also advantageous to have the base portion 39 moldedintegrally with the lower frame portion 31. More specifically, certainrigidity improvements can be obtained by eliminating the interfacebetween the base portion 39 and the lower frame portion 31, andeliminating the fastening means used to securely hold the two componentstogether.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 17, there is shown a rear sectional view ofthe embodiment of FIG. 16A of the present invention showing an anklesupport cuff 23, a soft, pliable, breathable shoe portion 22, a lateralcanting means 27 and an external heel counter 41. As discussedheretofore, adhesive may be applied at interface 48 to bond the shoeportion 22 to the heel counter 41 and the base portion 39.

[0073] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changescan be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. An in-line roller skatefor receiving a skater's foot, the skate comprising: a frame having aplurality of longitudinally aligned wheels rotatably secured thereto; asubstantially rigid base securely attached to the frame, the baseincluding a sole portion and support members that extend upwardly fromthe sole portion; and a flexible and breathable shoe portion adapted toreceive a skater's foot, wherein the shoe portion is attached at a loweredge to the sole portion of the base, and wherein at least some of thelower edge of the shoe portion is not blocked by the support memberssuch that air circulation through the lower edge of the shoe portion ispromoted; wherein the support members include a semirigid heel countersecured to the sole portion of the base and an ankle support cuffpivotally coupled to the heel counter.
 2. The in-line roller skate ofclaim 1, wherein the flexible and breathable shoe portion is permanentlyaffixed to the base.
 3. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein thesupport members further include a toe cup secured to the sole portion ofthe base.
 4. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein the supportmembers further include a pair of oppositely-disposed support lipsdisposed proximate the balls of the received skater's foot.
 5. Thein-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein the sole portion of the base iscontoured to generally conform to the received skater's foot.
 6. Thein-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein the frame is made from acomposite material.
 7. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein atleast a portion of the base is made of a heat-moldable plastic such thatthe sole portion of the base can be anatomically fitted to the receivedskater's foot.
 8. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein the baseis made from a material selected from an injection-molded plastic, afiberglass with an epoxy resin, or a graphite with an epoxy resin. 9.The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein the sole portion of thebase is a substantially flat plate.
 10. The in-line roller skate ofclaim 1, wherein frame and base are integrally formed in a singleinjection-molded unit.
 11. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, furthercomprising a canting system for longitudinal tilt adjustment of theankle support cuff.
 12. The in-line roller skate of claim 11, furthercomprising a canting system for lateral tilt adjustment of the anklesupport cuff.
 13. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein theflexible and breathable shoe portion further comprises a vamp portionsecurable with a releasable fastener, and having an internal tongue andan external lace cover.
 14. The in-line roller skate of claim 1, whereinthe flexible and breathable shoe portion is laminated to the base. 15.The in-line roller skate of claim 1, wherein at least portions of theflexible and breathable shoe portion comprise a mesh fabric material.16. A roller skate for receiving a skater's foot, the skate comprising:a frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably secured thereto; asubstantially rigid base securely attached to the frame, the baseincluding a sole plate and supplemental support members that extendupwardly from the sole plate; and a flexible and breathable shoe upper,wherein the shoe upper is attached to the sole plate along a lowerperiphery of the shoe upper, and wherein at least some of the lowerperiphery of the shoe upper is disposed away from the supplementalsupport members such that air circulation through the breathable shoeportion is promoted; wherein the supplemental support members include anankle support cuff pivotally coupled to the heel counter, the anklesupport cuff further comprising a support strap.